Surviving
by CSIaddict
Summary: *Finished, Epilogue Now Up!* Sara goes missing. Is someone from the night shift to blame? Subtle N/S
1. The Start of Something

For those who have read this, I did not make any changes in the 1st chapter, I just spaced it so continue on.  
  
Disclaimer: None of the characters are mine *sigh* need I say more?  
  
This is not my first ever Fanfic but it is the first one I have posted. The story starts off a little slow but bear with me. Please r/r!  
  
  
  
"What a night!" sighed Catherine as she walked into the break room. She had finished her case. It wasn't really a "case". It was more of an accident. She found that she wasn't the only one who was finished from the night shift team.  
  
"I agree. It has been a really long night and it's still not over. I had to process a murder tree blocks long, only to find out that they caught the guy and he confessed to the shooting." Sara was exhausted and Catherine could see it. Sara never complained about cases.  
  
"Where are the guys?" questioned Catherine as she sat down next to Sara.  
  
"They are still at the hit-and-run scene. Grissom told me to wait here." Sara paused and sipped her coffee. "Have you noticed anything different with Greg lately? He is acting stranger than usual."  
  
"How so?" asked Catherine.  
  
"Well I walked into the lab and noticed he wasn't playing his music. He seemed uptight. When I went over to ask what was wrong, he must have jump ten feet into the air. Then he started moving away from me every time I got close, and started mumbling. It was like he was trying to avoid me. He was acting weirder than usual."  
  
Catherine was surprised to hear that Greg was acting like this. She knew that Greg had a thing for Sara. Heck, everyone in the lab knew except Sara herself. Maybe she would tell Grissom about it later.  
  
"So, what do you think?" asked Sara, awakening Catherine from her thoughts.  
  
"I don't know, maybe he is sick or something," responded Catherine.  
  
*Meanwhile*  
  
Grissom, Nick, and Warrick had processes the scene and were coming back to the lab with the evidence. The case was a hit-and-run. A 32- year old woman was shot on the side of the road down past the Vegas strip. She was shot once in her head. They lifted tire treads and pieces of glass and plastic from the middle of the street. It wasn't much to work with, but it was a start.  
  
When they got back, Nick took the tire treads to run them through the database. Warrick took the glass and plastic. Grissom was going to examine the victim, but he needed to find Sara. He needed her help. He walked into the break room not only to find Sara, but Catherine too.  
  
"Hey Gris," said Catherine, "Sara said that you asked her to stay here, so I waited along."  
  
"Good, because we need both of your help." He briefed them on the case. He asked Catherine to help Warrick. Sara would help him on the vic. They left the room. Catherine headed one way, Grissom and Sara went the other.  
  
Sara talked to Grissom about Greg's behavior as they passed the DNA lab where they saw him working.  
  
"I dunno what's wrong. I think he is avoiding me," said Sara as they continued down the hall. Grissom pondered this. They reached their destination. They walked in to see Al examining the body.  
  
"So, what have you got for us today Al?" asked Sara while putting on her apron and gloves.  
  
"Well, it seems before she was shot, she sustained multiple leg fractures straight across her legs as if she were hit by a car. She also received what seems to be spinal damage. See the pattern on her back?" Al showed them her back. "See the unusual diamond pattern? I also pulled out the bullet from her head," he raised the tweezers to show them.  
  
"Sara, run this down to Nick for me? He should be done those treads and I need him to get started on where the bullet came from. Then take the photos from the scene and go over them. See if you can find where she got the markings on her back. I'll swing by in a minute." Sara walked out of the room.  
  
Grissom stayed behind and examined the leg fractures. He noticed silver specks all across the broken area. It seemed to be car paint. He bagged some of it. He thanked Al and went to give the sample to Greg. When he got to the lab, could see what Sara was talking about. There was no music raging from the boom box. Greg was sitting across the room working unusually hard.  
  
"Greg!" The lab technician jumped. "Are you ok?"  
  
"Yea, I'm fine. Do you need something?"  
  
"Break this stuff down for me. I want to know everything in it."  
  
"Ok Leave the stuff on the desk and I'll get to it in a few minutes."  
  
"Alright, just get it to me soon. I'll be with Sara examining photos."  
  
Greg went back to his work and Grissom went off to find Sara. She was sitting at a table in the layout room looking through the photos Nick had taken of the crime scene. She was a mess. Her hair was everywhere and her eyes were starting to look red.  
  
They went over the pictures for an hour and found nothing. It wasn't until Greg knocked on the door that they realized how long they were there."  
  
"Hey Gris, got your info." Greg handed him the results. "I wanted to ask if I could leave because I don't feel well. I got everything to Nick, Catherine, and Warrick that they needed."  
  
"Sure you can go just be back here as soon as you feel better."  
  
"Ok, Thanks." Greg left.  
  
"Sara, you look like you could use a break."  
  
"No, I'm fine," she responded but changed her mind when she saw the look Grissom gave her, "but I'll go get some coffee anyway."  
  
Sara left Grissom and walked down to the break room. She opened the door to an empty room and sat down on the couch. Before she knew it, Sara fell asleep.  
  
*2 hours later*  
  
Grissom walked into the break room to find out what Sara had been doing. He found her sleeping on the couch. She was sleeping restlessly. He went over and woke her up.  
  
"Go home, Sara. The shift is over and you look beat."  
  
"Ok," she said reluctantly and got up to leave the room.  
  
She walked into the parking lot and got in her car. She drove home and pulled up next to the curb. She got out and went to get her stuff from the back seat. Suddenly arms flew out from behind her grabbing her neck and covering her mouth. Before she could struggle against her attacker, she blacked out.  
  
Ok the story starts off really, really slow but please wait till the next chapter. I promise it will be better. Please review! Thanks! 


	2. The Finding

Disclaimer: The characters are still not mine (wish they were), and they never will be!  
  
  
  
Sorry about the spacing last chapter. My computer is acting weird so hopefully it will be better this chapter. Thanks so much for the good reviews.  
  
  
  
I'm not sure if I'll put a pairing in this story, but definitely in the next. So please don't stop reading and leaving reviews!  
  
Chapter 2: The Find  
  
The next afternoon, Catherine was in the locker room before her shift. She took out her equipment and headed out to the break room. She walked into the room and, to her surprise, found it empty. Sara was always first to work no matter what, but she didn't think about it long. She settled on the couch and did some paperwork. It was not long before she heard the voices of her colleagues Nick and Warrick coming down the hall. They walked in talking about a hokey game from the night before. Nick looked at Catherine.  
  
"Where's Catherine?" he asked.  
  
"I don't know," she replied, "but maybe Grissom does. I need to talk to him anyway." She got up and left the boys continuing their conversation. It wasn't long before she reached his office. Catherine walked in and found him rustling through his desk. "Hey Gris, do you know where Sara is?"  
  
"No, she's not here?"  
  
"Not that I know of."  
  
"Ok, I'll call and see if she's home. Go tell the guys I'll be there in a minute to hand out assignments." Catherine turned to leave. "Oh, and Greg is not going to be here, still sick." Catherine nodded and left. She entered the break room and relayed Grissom's news to Nick and Warrick.  
  
A few minutes later Grissom walked into the break room.  
  
"Ok, nothing has come in yet and until it does, Nick and Warrick, finish some paperwork. Catherine, go find Sara, I can't get a hold of her." He turned and left.  
  
"Great, paperwork! A CSI's dream!" Nick left the room followed by Warrick and Catherine. She headed out to parking lot and got into black Tahoe. She had an easy time finding Sara's townhouse. She pulled up to the side of the road and got out. She walked up to the door.  
  
"Sara, it's Catherine." She banged on the door. "Sara?" She waited a moment with no answer. Catherine took out her cell to call Grissom. She looked out towards the street and something caught her eye. She walked over. "Oh my god. Sara."  
  
She called Grissom.  
  
  
  
Grissom was back at his office. He was finishing a report when his cell phone rang.  
  
He answered it. "Grissom"  
  
"It's Catherine. I'm at Sara's. I think you should come down here with your kit. You may want to bring Nick and Warrick too."  
  
"Why, what's wrong?"  
  
"I just found blood all over the curb in front of her house. You need to get down here now!"  
  
"We are on our way." Grissom gathered his equipment and went to find Nick and Warrick. He found them in the layout room. "Guys get your stuff. I'll meet you in the parking lot." He left them too quickly to answer the question Nick didn't even ask yet. Grissom went back to his office to call Brass about what happened. "  
  
"Brass, Catherine's found us a crime scene."  
  
"Where?"  
  
"At Sara's house, she's missing. The guys and I are going to get this."  
  
"But you can't! Anything you and the team touch will be tainted and will never stand up in court. You are too emotionally involved!"  
  
"There is no way I am letting another team take this. I'll need you to find us temps for the shift. I'll call you later." Grissom didn't give Brass time to protest. He just hung up the phone and went out to the parking lot.  
  
"Are you going to tell us what is going on?" asked Warrick  
  
"Sara's in trouble and we have got a crime scene to process."  
  
They got into the remaining Tahoe. Before they knew it, they were diving into a crime that would change their lives.  
  
*This was a short chapter but hopefully I can post the next one soon. The faster you read and review the faster it will get posted. Hi to all my NDA buds! 


	3. The End of the Beginning

Disclaimer: If the characters from CSI were mine, the show would be on every night so obviously...  
  
I would like to say thanks to all of the great review givers. Please don't stop!  
  
Just to let you know that I am still not sure if I will put a pairing in the story but if I get enough reviews saying that you want one, I'll try and get it in there but it might be to late by then.  
  
Chapter 3: The End of the Beginning  
  
*Sara...Sara...go home, Sara*  
  
Grissom?  
  
Sara slowly opened her eyes and realized she was dreaming. Her vision was blurred. She lifted her head but had to put it down again because she was in such pain. Her eyes adjusted to the darkness. She found that she was sitting in the middle of a windowless room with only and candle for light.  
  
Where was she?  
  
The last thing she remembered was Grissom telling her to go home.  
  
How long ago was that?  
  
She looked around and saw cuffs and chains around her wrists and her ankles and felt them around her neck. Her eyes followed from the cuffs on her wrists up the chains to the ceiling. She pulled down on the chains. There was no chance of them becoming loose.  
  
She looked down and realized for the first time that she was no longer wearing the clothes she had on at work. Instead she found herself in a way beyond skimpy red, leather outfit. She had never felt so violated. Whoever did this had a sick mind.  
  
She tried to scream but nothing could be heard. Her mouth was gagged so tightly she could barely breath.  
  
What was she going to do?  
  
What could she do?  
  
There was no way to get out of this alone. She could hardly move as it was. No one could hear her. She would have to wait until someone realized she was gone.  
  
Suddenly she heard a low creak behind her. Then footsteps came closer.  
  
"Hello Sara."  
  
A chill went up her spine. She knew that voice well, but it couldn't be him could it?  
  
  
  
Grissom, Nick, and Warrick found their way to Sara's house. As they pulled down her street, they saw Catherine's Tahoe next to the curb in front of the house. Nick slowly pulled up behind it. The three of them got out and walked up to Catherine's Tahoe and found her sitting in the front seat leaning against the steering wheel. Grissom knocked against the window.  
  
"Catherine?"  
  
Her head shot up and looked at Grissom. She got out of the truck.  
  
"Are you ok?" asked Warrick.  
  
She nodded. "It's over here." She led them to the spot in front of the Tahoe. There was blood all over the curb. Grissom bent down to examine it. It was dry. This meant it had been there awhile. When she got home this morning maybe? The rest of the team watched him intently as he used his tweezers to pick up a long brown hair from the middle of the blood. Catherine's legs crumbled beneath her and she fell to the pavement.  
  
"Catherine!" Grissom rushed to her side. She was out cold but fine otherwise.  
  
"Warrick take her back to the lab and stay there with her until she comes to. Then call me."  
  
Warrick acknowledged Grissom's orders. He picked her up and placed her in the truck and headed back to the lab. Nick and Grissom watched as the Tahoe rounded the corner and left their sight.  
  
"Ok Nick let's get all the evidence we can out here then go inside and see what we can find."  
  
They split up and walked around the yard. After finding nothing they headed up to the front door. Grissom picked the lock and they entered Sara's home. They saw she had little furniture. A table and chair in the kitchen, and a couch and TV in the living room.  
  
"Wow! This place is neat as a pin."  
  
"And that surprises you Nick?"  
  
"I guess your right. Why am I surprised?"  
  
"Ok, I'll take downstairs, you take up. Make sure you notice anything. Leave no stone unturned. Dust everything."  
  
"Alright."  
  
Grissom went into the kitchen. Nick headed up the stairs. He found four doors on each side of the hall. He was going to have a look around first then collect evidence. He went to the first door. It was a linen closet. He looked around and closed the door.  
  
He went across the hall to the next door. By the looks, it seemed to be a guest room. He walked in and looked around. He walked back into the hall and closed the door. He went to the next room. He opened the door to what looked like Sara's room.  
  
It looked only slightly more lived in than the guest room but he could tell it was hers. It had that smell that was only unique to Sara. He walked in. If Sara found him in her room, she would kill him. He went up to her desk. There were papers scatted across it along with many reference books. It looked out of place in the room. He took one last look around and walked back into the hall.  
  
He turned to the last door. It was her bathroom. He looked around. It was very tiny. It consisted a sink, a toilet and a shower-tub. He looked under the sink and found the usually things then walked over to the shower- tub and pulled back the curtain.  
  
"Grissom!!!!!!"  
  
*Ok I know I'm bad, but just think. I may have a snow day tomorrow and if I do, I'll give you 2 chapters! CSI tomorrow night! I can't wait!!!! 


	4. The Disturbance

Disclaimer: Wish it were mine. How I envy the people at CBS.  
  
SNOW DAY!!!! YES!!! I'm posting 2 chapters today as I promised and I expect also to Jane Doe's delight.  
  
I would like to say thanks for the reviews but there are not enough people who want a pairing. (sorry) but if you really want one I can finish this story and re-write it to include a Nick/Sara. Only if you really want it!  
  
A note from last chapter: I think I mislead you in my description on how Sara was being held captive. She is almost hung from the ceiling with her feet just barely touching the floor. Kinda think of Princess Lea when Jabba the Hutt captured her. Ya know with all the chains? Ok?  
  
Chapter 4: The Disturbance  
  
Sara recognized the voice she heard behind her. She knew who it was and could barely believe it, but if it was him, why would he do this to her? Sara knew that he was not capable of doing this, or at least that is what she thought before this happened. She just didn't want it to be him.  
  
"How do you like your new room? I picked it out myself out of all the other rooms in my house. I thought it would be perfect for us for the night."  
  
Sara tried to curse back at him but still couldn't with the gag in her mouth. She started to rattle the chains that kept her captive.  
  
"Would you like to speak? I don't know if I should take that out of your mouth yet."  
  
Sara shivered as she felt his cold and clammy hand ran down her back. All she wanted was to get out of here. To leave this place behind.  
  
"I do hope you like your new outfit. I found it in a Victoria's Secret catalog. Ever since then, whenever I saw you, I pictured you in this. Now I made my fantasy come true. Or at least part of it."  
  
What was he talking about?  
  
He walked from behind her and looked into her eyes. She peered back into his. All she saw there was hatred. Not just any hatred, but a burning one for her. She was afraid, more so than all of the times she had looked down barrels of guns that were pointed at her head combined. What had she ever done to him to deserve this?  
  
He walked back behind her.  
  
"All this misery you have put me through for all these months is coming back at you all tonight. It will show you what a thick-headed, married to work, little bitch you are!"  
  
Then she felt a sharp pain tear across her back. She tried to let out a scream but no sound left her mouth. Tears that she had been holding back were now coming freely. Her breaths became heavy.  
  
"Don't cry Sara. I know you are strong enough not too. After all I had to knock you out using crowbar because the chloroform had little effect on you."  
  
She continued.  
  
"I said stop!"  
  
Sara again felt the pain on her back, but this time it came twice. She tried to scream again.  
  
"I'll be back later. Lets see if you will cooperate then."  
  
The door closed and he was gone. Sara's tears ran freely as she hoped that the team would find her soon, or she might not survive the night. Suddenly all of the pain she had been feeling overcame her. Her head drooped to her chest and the blackness swept over.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Back at the lab Catherine was stirring from her sleep. She woke to find herself lying on the couch in the break room, and noticed Warrick sitting in a chair beside her, watching the news. Last thing she remembered was being as Sara's house watching Grissom inspect the blood that she found. He pulled out something from the middle of it. Oh, no.  
  
"Sara!"  
  
Catherine's whole body shot off the couch as she remembered what happened. Warrick jumped up.  
  
"Cath, it's ok. Clam down or you'll hurt yourself."  
  
"How did I get here?"  
  
"You fainted after you saw Grissom pull out the hair." Warrick spoke softly. "I need to call him and tell him your ok." He pulled out his phone and dialed Grissom's cell.  
  
"Grissom"  
  
"Hey it's Warrick. Catherine's awake. What do you want us to do?"  
  
"Stay there and wait for a call from Brass. The cops are out searching for Sara's car. I need you to go out and take care of that when he calls. Bring Catherine too if you think she will be-". Grissom stopped. Warrick could hear Nick's faint voice over the phone calling Grissom. "I have got to go. Call me if they find the car."  
  
Grissom hung up his phone and headed up the stairs. He saw Nick in a doorway down the hall, and walked over. Nick looked shaken up. His face was pale, mouth gaped, and eyes wide open.  
  
"What's wrong?" asked Grissom as he looked into the bathroom.  
  
"Be-behind the curtain." whispered Nick  
  
Grissom looked at his CSI in a look of confusion. He walked into the bathroom and peered behind the curtain. There, on the tile, was a message written in red.  
  
'She will live as my slave until she dies!'  
  
Grissom gave an involuntary shudder. He could only imagine what the word 'slave' would imply. He turned to face Nick. The two of them knew no good could come of this.  
  
"Nick, if you can, I need you take pictures and collect samples. Then take everything out of the bathroom. We need to find out what was used to write this."  
  
Nick nodded. He never remembered Grissom like this. He was serious all the time but something in his eyes was different, but he could not figure out what. Grissom slowly exited the bathroom and went downstairs to finish what he started.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Ok well not as much of a cliffhanger this chapter and sorry it is a bit short, but I'm going to post the next one sometime today.  
  
Will they find her car? What was used to write the message? Who kidnapped Sara?  
  
Stay tuned.. 


	5. The Horror on the Highway

Disclaimer: Chapter 5 come on do I really need one?  
  
OK as I promised here comes chapter 5. If this is the first time on fanfic today don't forget to read chapter 4. I don't know why but I skip chapters when I read.  
  
Thanks for all of the reviews. I think I changed my mind and will add a N/S pairing but it will be subtle.  
  
A/n: GREG LOVERS BEWARE  
  
Chapter 5: The Horror on the Highway  
  
*Ring*...*Ring* The sound of the phone echoed through the break room. Warrick grabbed the phone like a lifeline.  
  
"Hello, Brass?"  
  
"Warrick, we found Sara's car on the side of I-15."  
  
"Ok, we're on our way." He hung up the phone and started grabbing his stuff. "They found the car along the highway. If you feel up to it, let's go."  
  
Warrick and Catherine gathered their things and headed out to the parking lot. Warrick got into the drivers sear, Catherine in the passenger's. He started the car and started driving to the nearest onramp. As he was driving, Catherine called Grissom at Sara's house.  
  
"Grissom."  
  
"Gris! They found the car and we are on our way."  
  
"Ok. Nick and I are going to finish here. We'll meet you out there in an hour." Grissom decided not to tell them about the message until later. There was no need to worry them, as they are about to process a scene. It would be the worst news to hear right before doing that.  
  
"Gris, is everything ok? You sound very solemn."  
  
"I'm fine, I'll tell you when we get there." With that he hung up the phone before Catherine could ask about anything.  
  
Catherine put down the phone. She did not like Grissom's voice at all. She knew something was up.  
  
"Any news from Gris?"  
  
"He'll be at the scene with Nick in an hour, so around 7."  
  
It was not long before they saw a roadblock and police everywhere. They pulled up to the side and got out. They walked under the yellow tape and saw Brass standing next to Sara's car.  
  
"Trooper found it abandoned. He called it in when he saw inside."  
  
Catherine and Warrick walked over to the car and peered through the windows. They saw the back seat covered with blood. It gave Catherine a sick feeling. Warrick went pale. They looked at each other.  
  
"It's got to be done."  
  
They opened the car doors and started taking pictures and samples. By the look of it, it seemed the attacker had taken her before she had gotten into her house. Her purse, phone, and all of her other things were littered across the car. There was blood spatter across the seat. Warrick figured that she must have been hit from behind while taking her things out of the car. Then the attacker shoved her into the backseat and took her here.  
  
Catherine was observing the front seat. She found a few long brown hairs on the seat, but one short one was among them. She bagged them. Then she dusted the wheel and dashboard. She found some fingerprints and lifted them.  
  
Catherine and Warrick finished processing the car. It would end up back at the lab so they could look at it some more. They spotted a trail of blood leading from the car.  
  
"He must have taken her out and dragged her to another car."  
  
"I think your right, the trail stops. Warrick, hand me some tweezers. I found a blue fiber. Maybe denim." She bagged it. "Let's spread out and see what else we can find. I'll take that clump of trees over there, maybe he took a pit stop."  
  
"Ok, I'll take the other side of the highway."  
  
Catherine started walking over. She saw Brass squatting over something not to far from were she was headed. He looked up at her.  
  
"Catherine, you should look at this."  
  
She walked over to him. There on the ground were unmistakably Sara's shoes, but they did not look like shoes anymore. They had been hacked apart. Catherine stood there looking at the shoes. She took pictures then bagged them for evidence trying not to think about what happened. She walked over to the clump of trees.  
  
On the other side of the highway Warrick was looking at skid marks when his phone rang.  
  
"Warrick, it's Grissom. We'll be there in 5 minutes. Did you find anything unusual?"  
  
"Well we looked at the car and found-" he stopped short.  
  
"Warrick!!" He heard Catherine yelling for him. He started running towards the trees completely forgetting Grissom on the phone. As he walked into the trees, he found Catherine standing in a clearing. She was holding a paper in her hand. Warrick followed her eyes not to the paper but upwards. He dropped his phone.  
  
"Warrick? Warrick! Catherine? What happened?"  
  
Grissom put down his phone and looked at Nick driving. Nick didn't like the way Grissom was looking at him. If anything had happened to Sara, he would never forgive himself. His heart felt heavy. He might never get a chance to tell her how he feels.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Sara woke up. Her back was still searing with pain. Such a pain that she had never felt before. Her arms felt like they would fall off if they wad to hold her up any longer. She looked at the candle. It was halfway gone.  
  
How did I get myself into this?  
  
Sara was starting to think that she would never see her friends again. She missed them all, but especially Nick. She had always had feelings for him but never told him about then. She was afraid to shoe her emotions in fear that she would be rejected. She regretted that now. Sara realized that she was incredibly hungry. She had had nothing to eat for a day.  
  
The door open from behind and the most wonderful aroma filled the air. Sara heard the footsteps come up behind her.  
  
"I hope you will be more cooperative this time."  
  
Sara slowly nodded.  
  
"No screaming."  
  
Sara felt the hands again against her neck. Slowly the gag loosened and then fell to the floor. Sara didn't scream because she was too afraid, but she finally asked the question.  
  
"Why are you doing this to me? I thought we were friends Greg."  
  
He walked around to face her  
  
"You know, you are very unobservant for a CSI level 3. I sent you signals that I liked you from the first day I met you at the lab. You had just flown in from San Francisco. I saw you with your beautiful brown hair and your glassy brown eyes. I could hardly breath, but what did you care. You only thought of your job. You put me through a lot of pain these passed months. You made me suffer without mercy."  
  
Sara gaped at him.  
  
"Now it's my turn to make you suffer." Sara saw him pick something up. "I brought your dinner."  
  
He stuffed a piece of bread into her mouth. Greg laughed the most horrible laugh Sara had ever heard. Now once again she was gagged. Suddenly Sara felt her feet hit the floor and her arms being lowered. She legs crumbled beneath her. She felt so weak that even without the chains she doubted that she would be able to get up.  
  
He wasn't letting her go, was he?  
  
"Get up!"  
  
Sara slowly tried to get to her feet, but again he legs crumbled.  
  
"I said up!"  
  
She felt a sharp pain against her back again. She looked over and saw that Greg was holding what seemed to be a miniature whip. So this was his game. He was making her his slave. Sara finally managed to get to her feet. For the first time she realized that the chains around her neck were not ordinary. She was on some sort of leash and Greg was holding the end of it. He pulled her towards him. She stumbled over and ended up kneeling at his feet.  
  
"This is most enjoyable. Seeing you suffer." He laughed again. Then he kicked her. Right into her ribs. He pulled her up and in doing started to choke her. She was now gasping for air.  
  
"Greg, please stop." she gasped.  
  
"What, and stop all of the fun we're having?" He threw her to the floor. Now she knew that she almost definitely would not be surviving the night.  
  
r/r please!!! I am so evil. Will Sara survive? And what did Catherine and Warrick find? Will Sara and Nick ever be able to confess their feelings to each other or will it be to late?  
  
Stay tuned. 


	6. The Discoveries

I'm sorry for taking so long. I have a bad case of writer's block. I know where I want the story to go but I am having a hard time getting there. So, sorry in advanced if this chapter sucks.  
  
Disclaimer: Again this is chapter 6, I am thinking that the way this story is going you can probably figure out that none of the CSI peoples are mine. Only in my dreams.  
  
I'm sorry to the people who find the story well.disturbing. I don't know exactly where the story came from but the whole Greg idea seem good at the time and other people thought so too. So I am sorry to all the Greg fans but I will try to make it up to you in another story!  
  
Here comes a Greg POV!!!  
  
And I am sorry for the people confused by the pairings, but I am trying for a subtle N/S  
  
Please r/r! Thanks  
  
Nick stopped the Tahoe as they reached the scene. He and Grissom got out and ran over to Brass.  
  
"What happened? Where are Catherine and Warrick?"  
  
"Grissom calm down! They're over there." Brass pointed into the clump of trees. "I think you should go and have a look."  
  
Nick stared at Brass. What if they had found her? By the way Brass was talking, she must be dead. His heart beat faster. He couldn't think about what he was about to see.  
  
"Nick!"  
  
Grissom was already at the edge of the trees. Nick glanced over. He didn't realize he had been staring at Brass for the past minute. He walked over to Grissom and they walked into the trees.  
  
He saw Warrick and Catherine standing in a small clearing looking up. He followed their eyes.  
  
"Shit!"  
  
Eight eyes were now focused up. Nick couldn't believe what he was seeing. An object with brown hair and familiar clothing was hanging by the arms from the trees above. An unmistakable profile of a knife was coming from the back. Was this Sara?  
  
"Is it her?"  
  
"No," replied Catherine, "it's not, but I can only imagine that she is in a position like this." Her voice was trembling  
  
"How do we know?" asked Grissom.  
  
"They left this." Catherine handed Grissom the paper she had been clutching for the past 10 minutes.  
  
Grissom stared at the paper, then at Nick, Catherine and Warrick.  
  
"Read it Grissom!" breathed Nick.  
  
Grissom looked back at the paper and then started to read.  
  
"Until the twelfth hour you have to look, to recover what I took. But past that hour-the prospect's black." Grissom's voice trembled. "Too late.she's gone.and won't come back."  
  
The words hit them hard. Tears ran down Catherine's cheeks. Nick started to tremble. Warrick stared at the ground. Grissom looked at his team. His team that was missing a member. They had until midnight to find Sara or then.he couldn't think about that.  
  
Silence  
  
"We need to get this processed."  
  
They nodded their heads in agreement.  
  
"Nick, take pictures, Catherine search for anymore evidence, Warrick tell me what you have found here before we came, then help me gather the evidence."  
  
With trembling hands, Nick took out his camera and started snapping pictures. Images were swimming around his head. Could Sara really be in this position? How much pain was she in?  
  
"We have to find her. I'll kill the bastard who did this to her!"  
  
He finished his photos and then went to help Catherine look for evidence. He couldn't look at it anymore.  
  
Grissom and Warrick started to collect what was there.  
  
Within and hour they had taken pictures of everything and collected all the evidence. They packed up and headed back to the lab with no one speaking a word.  
  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
I threw her to the floor. I saw the pain in her face. She was the one who put me through all of the pain, the suffering.  
  
I pulled her back over to me.  
  
I saw her tremble in pain. I had a satisfaction to see her suffer instead of me.  
  
I served her every night for the past months. Getting all of her evidence analyzed. She said thank you 3 times. Three out of all those months and cases. Three times.  
  
"Get up!"  
  
I watched as she wobbled to her feet.  
  
"You will do everything I tell you."  
  
"What if I don't?"  
  
"Then you won't be the only one to suffer tonight. Maybe Nick would like to join us?"  
  
"Leave him out of this!!"  
  
I could tell I hit a nerve. It all made sense. She had feelings for him.  
  
"You have feelings for Nick don't you?"  
  
"Please leave him out of this!!!"  
  
"He is why you never liked me!"  
  
"Please! Don't hurt him! He didn't do anything!"  
  
The pain shot through my head like it had never before. I cried out in pain. My knees sunk to the floor. This was getting out of hand. I knew if I didn't see a doctor soon I would be a goner. This is what started this. My sickness is what made me do this. I look up and see Sara watching my every move with a look of horror on her face.  
  
"Stop staring!!"  
  
Her eyes didn't move. I got up and kicked her to the ground.  
  
"I said stop! Haven't you realized if you don't listen, all you will do is suffer more?"  
  
I hit her, again, and again. She cried out in pain. Tears started to fall. I stopped. My breath was heavy. I looked at her.  
  
Her back was cut and bloody. I did that. Her face was bruised. I did that. Why was I doing this? To get back at her? I put my weapon down.  
  
She looked up at me with pure hatred in her eyes.  
  
"I thought you said you loved me! If you do, why are you doing this? I guess we were never really friends!"  
  
"What did you say!?!?"  
  
"You don't love me! You never did, or you wouldn't do this to me!!"  
  
I flipped out. I pulled her over to me, and then I almost did the unspeakable.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Catherine was in the Tahoe with Nick driving back to the lab. She was thinking about everything that had happened that night.  
  
"Catherine, I need to talk to you."  
  
"About what?"  
  
"Sara"  
  
"What about her?" Catherine wasn't sure where this was going.  
  
Nick gathered up his courage. If anyone could understand this, it would be Catherine.  
  
"I think I'm in love with her, and I'm afraid that if we find her, I won't be able to tell her."  
  
"First thing, we are going to find her. There are no 'ifs' and second you will be able to tell her because she will be alive and well to hear it."  
  
Catherine spoke the words, but knew they might not be true.  
  
"Fine I mean 'when' we find her, and I tell her how I feel, I'm afraid that she won't love me back."  
  
"We all have to take chances, Nicky, but I should say in your case, the chance is pretty good in your favor of her liking you." She winked at him.  
  
"How would you know about this?"  
  
"Your not the only one who comes to me with love problems."  
  
"She came to you about me?"  
  
"Yea, many times. She was afraid you didn't like her."  
  
Nick thought about this for a minute. Sara loved him? Was this a dream?  
  
His thoughts were interrupted by Catherine's cell phone.  
  
"Hello?.Oh hey, is anything wrong?.Sorry, we got side-tracked for a minute. We'll be there in a minute.Ok.ok. See you then."  
  
Catherine flipped her phone shut. Nick gave her a questioning look.  
  
"It was Grissom," she said turning her eyes back to the road. "He wanted to know where we were. It sounded like he was going to send a search party out for us." They nervously chuckled.  
  
Soon they were pulling into the parking lot of the lab. They got out of the cab and grabbed the evidence from the trunk.  
  
Grissom was waiting for them by the front desk. He looked quite annoyed.  
  
"There you are! What happened?"  
  
"Sorry, we got into a conversation and I guess I started driving slower to keep up with Nick." She gave Nick a half-smile not to be noticed by Grissom.  
  
"This is no time for friendly conversation!" He was practically yelling at them. "Sara's out there missing and all you can do while everyone is working hard here is talk?"  
  
"Gris, calm down! She's our friend too ya know!"  
  
Nick at this point was a little afraid of talking at that point. He just watched as Catherine and Grissom started doing battle. They were talking so loud, he could see a few heads pop into the hall looking in their direction to see what was going on. Nick stood there awkwardly.  
  
"Cath, just get down to the DNA lab to help Warrick please? Greg's not here and they need help."  
  
Catherine started to walk away, but eyed Nick and Grissom for a second wondering what Grissom would have Nick do. She continued down the hall towards the DNA lab hoping that they could find anything that would help break the case.  
  
"Nick, can you go down to Greg's house to try and get him to come back here or at least answer the phone? He doesn't even know about Sara yet and we need him back at the lab if we are going to get this done in time."  
  
Nick nodded.  
  
"Thank you." Grissom turned his back to Nick and headed down the hall. Nick turned to opposite way and walked back outside and got back into the truck.  
  
Nick pulled out of the lot and headed towards his friend's house. He had been there a few times. It was on the outskirts of the city with no other houses around. Greg told him that he inherited it from some dead aunt.  
  
He thought about the conversation he had had with Catherine earlier. Sara had told her that she liked him. Nick felt that he had enough courage now to ask her out and to take on a sumo wrestler at the same time. A smile crept across his face at the picture of that in his head.  
  
It wasn't long before Nick got lost in his thoughts and realized that he had reached his destination. He got out of the car. All of the windows in the house were off.  
  
'He must be sleeping'  
  
Nick decided not to wake him up by knocking. He would just go in and check on him.  
  
Nick grabbed his keys and found Greg's. Greg gave it to him in case of an emergency happened. It was a long time ago and he bet Greg didn't even remember that he gave it to him.  
  
He unlocked the door and stepped inside. The house was dark. He flipped the switch to his left.  
  
"Oh my god!" He blurted out loud. On the carpet, he could see a trail of blood going down the hall. His phone rang. He jumped. He grabbed it up. He hoped no one heard it. He ducked into the bathroom.  
  
"Hello?" he whispered.  
  
"Nick, it's Grissom. Why are you whispering."  
  
"I guess I'm nervous."  
  
"About what?"  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"Ok, well are you at Greg's still?"  
  
"Yea why?"  
  
"Well on the lipstick tube you picked up and the same one that was used to write the bathroom message, we found fingerprints and DNA."  
  
"You did? Who's are they?"  
  
"That's what confused me. They're Greg's. I want you to ask him about it."  
  
"Ok but there is probably a logical expla-" Suddenly a scream echoed through the house.  
  
"Nick what's going on there? I heard a scream."  
  
"I don't know. I'll call you when I get back."  
  
"NO! Get out of there-" Nick closed his phone. He didn't want to talk to Grissom anymore he only wanted to find where the scream came from. He put his phone back and pulled out his gun. He walked back into the hall and started to follow the trail of blood, only wondering about what he would find.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Ok that chapter wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Only one or two more chapters left. Please r/r! Thanx  
  
~Jax 


	7. The Loss

Sorry about not updating in awhile. School has been very hectic.  
  
I think this is the last chapter but I'm not sure. If it isn't, there will only be one more chapter.  
  
Disclaimer: None of the characters are mine, they never were, and they never will be!  
  
To fawkes21, yes the note did come from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (J. K. Rowling) I just love the books and I liked that part and I thought of it when I was writing this. So thank you J. K. Rowling  
  
And I want to say that I didn't mean to steal any ideas from anyone (fawkes21 especially). I tried to find other ways to do this but this is how it ended up.  
  
This chapter is dedicated to Emily Koenig, the girl who died of Meningitis from Villa Maria Academy in Pennsylvania. She was a great person.  
  
Chapter 7: The Loss  
  
Grissom put the phone down. He looked at Warrick and Catherine. Their faces were full of worry for their co-workers. Catherine's eyes started to fill with tears.  
  
"Let's go help them." Warrick looked into Grissom's eyes. They were filled with determination.  
  
Silently, they walked to the parking lot and headed to Greg's house.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
(Sara's POV)  
  
He cried out in pain and sunk to the floor. I stared at him in horror.  
  
"Stop staring!!"  
  
I couldn't look away. I was too scared.  
  
He looked up at me. He grabbed me and kicked me to the floor. I hit the floor on my shoulder and winced in pain. I couldn't let him see that I was weak.  
  
"I said stop! Haven't you realized if you don't listen, all you will do is suffer more?"  
  
He hit me again, and again. I cried out in pain. Tears started to fall down my cheeks. He stopped. His breath was heavy. He looked at me.  
  
His eyes were not filled with hate, but confusion. He put his weapon down.  
  
I looked up at him. My anger grew. I started to shout at him. "I thought you said you loved me! If you do, why are you doing this? I guess we were never really friends!"  
  
"What did you say!?!?"  
  
"You don't love me! You never did, or you wouldn't do this to me!!"  
  
He grabbed my hair and trusted my head back. I felt the cold steel against my neck. His chest was rising and falling rapidly against me.  
  
"Greg, please."  
  
I felt his grip loosen. His breath slowed. I heard the knife clatter on the floor. He yelled in my ear. Then he pulled me back to the middle of the room by my hair, and hung me back up.  
  
"You won't get away with this!"  
  
I heard the door slam. I was alone again. In the dark. My back was in shreds. I felt the blood. I could hear it drop to the floor it was so silent in the room. A lone tear fell down my cheek. All I could think about was Nick.  
  
Would Greg really go out and hurt him?  
  
My head hung thinking of all the possibilities when I heard the door open behind me.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Nick was just about to step into the hall when he heard a door slam. He ducked back into the bathroom. He saw Greg pass the doorway. He was angry and Nick could tell. He was stomping down the hall talking to himself angrily. Nick heard him go up the stairs. He decided then to leave the bathroom.  
  
Nick followed the trail of blood down the hall. Then it stopped at a door. He looked over his shoulder then unlocked handle. Slowly he pushed the door open. In the room was a small candle. It was just enough light to see her.  
  
"Sara!"  
  
He rushed to her.  
  
"Oh my god!"  
  
"Nick?" She looked into his eyes. Then her head fell back to chest. She became unconscious once again.  
  
"Hold on Sara. I'm going to get you out of here!"  
  
With his eyes, Nick followed the chains that ensnared Sara to a release lever. He pulled it down. Slowly he saw Sara's body limply touch the ground.  
  
He went to her side and put down his gun.  
  
"Sara?"  
  
"Nick? Is that you? Oh Nick, I thought he was going to hurt you! He said he would bring you here. I was so worried."  
  
"It's ok now. I've got you and everything is going to be fine."  
  
She looked deeply into his eyes  
  
"Before anything happens to me I wanted to say that ever since I came to Las Vegas I have been in love with you. I never told you before because I was afraid how you would feel about me."  
  
"Sara, I need to tell you something too. I-"  
  
"What the hell are you doing here!?" Sara and Nick turned to the doorway and saw a figure standing there.  
  
"Get away from her!"  
  
Nick could see the outline of a gun in his hand. He moved to get his own, but stopped when he heard a shot ring out. Sara screamed.  
  
"Move away from her and kick the gun to me. If you don't, I will shoot."  
  
Nick had no choice but to comply with him. He kicked the gun over and moved a couple steps away from Sara.  
  
"Why are you doing this Greg? Aren't we friends?"  
  
"We were until....until." The gun was still pointed at Nick.  
  
"Until what?"  
  
"Until I found out that I have Brain Cancer! OK? It's driving me insane! I don't have long to live ya know. I felt I needed to give my self a going away present."  
  
"Greg I'm sorry, why didn't you tell me?"  
  
"Well it doesn't matter why or why not now."  
  
Sara couldn't believe what was taking place in front of her.  
  
"So Nick, you come on in here and ruin the party. That wasn't very nice. Don't you think so Sara? He should be punished."  
  
Greg cocked the gun.  
  
Nick stiffened in fear.  
  
"Good-bye Nick!"  
  
"No!"  
  
Nick saw Sara jump up in front of him. Then he heard two shot ring out  
  
Nick felt blood splatter on his face as Sara slumped to the floor in front of him.  
  
"Oh my God! What have I done?"  
  
Nick watched Greg tremble. Gun still in hand.  
  
"What have I done what have I done?"  
  
Nick saw the gun rise to Greg's head.  
  
"Greg don't do it!"  
  
"Why shouldn't I? I killed her. I have no reason to live anymore. She was what I lived for. That's what started this all my want for her. When I found out I was going to die, I just went over the edge. I did this to have her before I go. Instead I kill her. Good-bye Nick!"  
  
One last shot rang through the building.  
  
Nick stood there looking over to where Greg was now lying on the ground.  
  
"Nick?" Sara's voice was raspy.  
  
"Sara, I'm here hold on."  
  
He bent down and stroked her hair.  
  
"Nick?"  
  
Her breath slowed.  
  
"Sara, come on stay with me here!" Tears rolled down Nick's cheeks.  
  
"Nick, I love..."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Oh it's so sad! I'm really depressed. I hope you enjoyed it and yes it looks like we get one last chapter. Please r/r!  
  
~Jax 


	8. The Love that Doesn't Conquer

Ok, well I updated last night but when I got in bed all I could think about was writing some more. So I decided to wake up first thing this morning and continue.  
  
Well I continued but now I am here a few days later trying to finish because I have had no time due to forces beyond my control. (homework, parents, yada, yada, yada)  
  
The last chapter made me sad, but it looks like that the mood still won't get higher.  
  
I hope you enjoy. This is the last chapter but I am thinking of doing an epilogue and see what happens to everyone.  
  
I already have in the works another Sara/Nick, I am just having a hard time trying to get to where I want to go. (If that makes any sense)  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Chapter 8: The Love that Doesn't Conquer  
  
No one knew what to expect.  
  
But everyone had the fear.  
  
What if they were too late?  
  
What if the others would be gone?  
  
Then the only ones Surviving  
  
Would be none of them at all.  
  
Grissom sat there driving  
  
Down the Vegas road.  
  
Thinking 'I only hope this doesn't end,  
  
Where none of us have gone'  
  
Warrick sat beside him.  
  
Ridged and pale in the face.  
  
Gripping tightly the handle beside him,  
  
Listening to Catherine's silent tears.  
  
Tears that they all felt,  
  
Although some might never share.  
  
*~*~*~*~  
  
They pulled up to Greg's house and saw Nick's car. All of them got out and walked up to the door.  
  
Suddenly they heard a shot ring from inside, and they all brought out their guns.  
  
Warrick kicked open the door. Then they rushed in.  
  
"Look!" Catherine pointed to the floor.  
  
There was a trail of blood that went down the hall. Grissom followed it. Not far behind were Warrick and Catherine.  
  
They came to a door. Grissom looked at his team. Then he turned the knob.  
  
They found a room only lit by a candle. Nick was in the middle hunched over some thing.  
  
Nick didn't realize that the other CSI's were there. All he saw was Sara's eyes.  
  
Tears rolled down her cheeks. She reached up to his face.  
  
"Nick I love..."  
  
Sara's breathing slowed, her touch on his face loosened.  
  
"Sara, Sara?" Tears fell down Nick's cheeks.  
  
"Nick.."  
  
Her eyes slowly closed, and Nick felt her hand slide of his cheek and saw it fall to the floor with a little thud.  
  
"Sara, I love you too!" He laid his head on her breast. Her heart no longer beat and her chest didn't rise and fall with each breath. His tears flowed freely.  
  
Grissom, Warrick and Catherine realized what had just happened. None of them wanted to believe it.  
  
They walked over to Nick.  
  
Nick looked up and saw them. Tears were in their eyes, even Grissom's.  
  
"Warrick call 911."  
  
Warrick didn't move. He couldn't break away his focus from Sara.  
  
"Warrick!"  
  
He jumped. "What? Oh ok."  
  
It took him a second to take his gaze off her face, but he did and took out his cell phone.  
  
"Hello? This is Warrick Brown...."  
  
Nick didn't hear the rest.  
  
"What happened Nick? Who did this?"  
  
Nick just looked up into Grissom's face.  
  
"Nick?"  
  
He broke down.  
  
"It's all my fault! She tried to save me! It's all my fault!" Nick's crying became so uncontrollable, that they couldn't understand what he was saying.  
  
"Who did this Nicky?"  
  
"I didn't want to believe he could do it, but it was him who took her. I trusted him!"  
  
"Who was it Nicky?"  
  
Nick pointed across the room at where Greg lay.  
  
Grissom crossed the room. When he saw whom it was laying on the ground he let out a gasp.  
  
"Grissom, what's wrong?" Catherine tried to say through her tears.  
  
"It's...It's Greg. Nick, are you saying Greg...Greg killed Sara?"  
  
Nick buried his face in Sara's shirt and started crying uncontrollably once again.  
  
Catherine sunk to the floor and wrapped her arms around Nick and started to cry along.  
  
Warrick got off the phone. He had watched the conversation and knew what had happened. The ambulance was coming but he knew that they wouldn't be any help.  
  
He leaned against the wall. He let out a big sigh and tears started to roll down his face.  
  
I wasn't long before Nick heard the sirens of the ambulances, but they seemed so distant and they didn't seem to get closer.  
  
Everything was blurry. He felt himself being lifted off of Sara. He felt blood on his face from the wounds that the bullets caused when they went through her heart.  
  
He didn't remember anything after they took him in the ambulance.  
  
*A Few Days Later*  
  
Grissom was watching over the younger CSI who was still lying unconscious in the hospital bed.  
  
Nothing physically was wrong with Nick, but Grissom supposed that the reason he had been sleeping for a few days was because he was emotionally drained.  
  
He walked over to the window. The Las Vegas sun was just about to set and the colors in the sky were magnificent, but he didn't care. All he could think about was what they had found a couple nights ago.  
  
He still didn't know the whole story. No one except Nick knew what had happened that night, but only people who know what happened before Nick got there were gone.  
  
He heard that Sara went though a lot of trauma before her death. He didn't want to believe the pain that she had to go through, but she wasn't raped. That was a good thing.  
  
Grissom heard a noise behind him. He turned and saw Nick stirring in his bed. He walked over to his side.  
  
Nick slowly opened his eyes  
  
"Grissom? Where am I?"  
  
"You're in the hospital. You have been asleep for a few days."  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"You fainted after they took you into the ambulance. You haven't woken since."  
  
Nick's last memories floated back to him.  
  
"She's gone."  
  
Grissom nodded at him. His eyes stayed focused on the floor.  
  
"Greg's gone too?"  
  
"Yea,"  
  
Nick looked out the window to avoid Grissom's eyes. Tears welled up in his own.  
  
"Can you talk about it?"  
  
"I dunno,"  
  
"Nick your going to have to try."  
  
"Ok,"  
  
Nick gave out a sigh.  
  
"After I hung up with you, I heard Greg walk past me and stomp up the stairs. Then, I decided to follow the trail of blood on the floor. I ended up at a door. I unlocked it and went in. She was hanging by her arms from the ceiling. It was like when we found that dummy in the trees except it was really her."  
  
Nick choked back some tears.  
  
"I walked over to her, she looked at me and said my name then she went unconscious. I found the release lever and let her down. When she reached the floor I went over to her. I put down her gun and she woke up. She told me something and I was about to respond when Greg walked in."  
  
Grissom realized Nick didn't tell him what Sara said, but he didn't push it.  
  
"He told me to kick him the gun and get away from Sara, so I did but I didn't go to far from her. I asked him why he was doing this. He told me...."  
  
"What?"  
  
"He had Brain Cancer."  
  
"What?"  
  
"That was my reaction too. I told him I was sorry but he got mad at me. He pointed his gun at me and then...then..."  
  
A lump found its way into Nick's throat.  
  
"Then what Nick?"  
  
"Then, before he shot, she jumped in front of me. She took those shots for me."  
  
Tears flowed down his face.  
  
"Two, right through her heart. Her....her blood splattered on my face. She fell to the ground, but I couldn't help her. Greg still pointed the gun at me. He started trembling and he put the gun to his head. I tried to stop him but he didn't listen."  
  
Grissom stared at him intently.  
  
"Then I sat by her side until..."  
  
He couldn't go any further. There wasn't much more to tell.  
  
"She's gone. I didn't even get to tell her that I loved her."  
  
Grissom was startled by the comment. Love?  
  
"She told me she loved me, but I didn't get to tell her. She died not knowing what I felt."  
  
Nick looked at Grissom. Grissom was looking out the window, tears in his eyes.  
  
The next couple days, weeks, months, years would be hard on all the CSI's, but Nick knew they didn't have to live with his burden. He had to bear it alone.  
  
Fin?  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Sorry to all whom requested this not to happen, but that's what I wrote!  
  
Ok well the story is over but I think I am going to do an epilogue. Should I? Review and tell me! What happens to Nick and the rest? r/r!  
  
~Jax 


	9. The Year After

All right, I am doing an epilogue!!!  
  
What exactly happened to everyone? Well I didn't really plan this so sorry if it sucks!  
  
Disclaimer Chapter 8 and Epilogue: Character's are not mine! They never were and I doubt that CBS would let me kill some one!  
  
I just want to say I am sorry if I depressed anyone. It has been kinda depressing around here lately, so sorry once again!  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Nick's POV *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Epilogue to Surviving  
  
Or  
  
Chapter 9: The Year After  
  
The wind tugged at my shirt.  
  
I had been standing there for a half hour, just looking at the cold stone.  
  
'Sara Sidle  
  
September 16, 1971 - December 5, 2002  
  
Beloved Daughter  
  
Adored Friend  
  
May her soul rest in peace'  
  
It was the 50th time I had read it, today.  
  
I stand here alone.  
  
I am early.  
  
I wait for the others.  
  
I haven't seen them in a year.  
  
We promised each other that every year on this day we would meet here.  
  
No matter where we were, or what we were doing.  
  
We would meet.  
  
I hear someone approach behind me.  
  
I don't look at whom.  
  
I can tell who it is.  
  
I hear their voice.  
  
"Adored Friend, good choice Nick"  
  
Her voice is broken.  
  
She is crying.  
  
I would cry too, but I have no more tears.  
  
She puts her hand on my shoulder.  
  
I look over at her.  
  
She holds flowers in her hand.  
  
Catherine looks aged.  
  
Her face seems more wrinkled and her hair not as bright.  
  
The blue eyes I remember are gray.  
  
Last time I heard from Catherine, she was in Seattle with Lindsey.  
  
She was recruited to be the supervisor there.  
  
That was about six months ago.  
  
I don't know if she is still there, but I think she is.  
  
"Nick are you ok?"  
  
"Yes, but I can't believe it's been a year."  
  
"Me neither"  
  
I lay my arm over her shoulders and hug her tight.  
  
I feel her body shake as she tries to stop crying, but I can tell it's hard for her.  
  
She leans down and places her daisies next to my roses.  
  
We stand here together reminiscing.  
  
I go through all my memories of Sara again for the millionth time.  
  
I can only guess Catherine is doing the same.  
  
I try to break out of the past back to present.  
  
"How's Lindsey?"  
  
She looks up at me and wipes her eyes.  
  
"She's good, she started 4th grade this year. She likes Seattle."  
  
"Is it nice there?"  
  
"Yea, its beautiful, but very cold."  
  
I nod at her response and the silence overtakes us once more.  
  
I hear a second person approaching us.  
  
Catherine and I turn to see who it is.  
  
I see the familiar face of my friend.  
  
His hair is cut shorter.  
  
He holds tulips in his hand.  
  
"Hi Warrick."  
  
I hear a voice next to me say.  
  
"Hi,"  
  
His voice is solemn.  
  
He looks to the ground as he walks to my side.  
  
"Hey,"  
  
"Hey,"  
  
I see him stare at the stone.  
  
He doesn't say a word.  
  
Warrick is the only one who stayed at the Las Vegas lab.  
  
I heard he worked there for about a month then transferred over to homicide with Brass.  
  
Grissom told me he didn't get along with the new CSI's.  
  
No words are spoken between us.  
  
There is no need for words.  
  
Warrick lays down his flowers next to mine.  
  
He sits there for a minute.  
  
His hand on the stone.  
  
A tear on his cheek.  
  
The cold pierces my skin.  
  
I feel it inside and out.  
  
Warrick rises and walks back to his place next to me.  
  
I go over again how it could have been me.  
  
I might have been the one, under 6 feet of dirt.  
  
But I am not.  
  
I am the one who stands here looking at my friend's tombstone.  
  
She gave her life for me.  
  
The act of pure love.  
  
If only I could have had the chance to return it.  
  
I wish everyday that it could have ended differently.  
  
With no pain.  
  
No suffering.  
  
But it didn't.  
  
She went through a lot of pain.  
  
Her pain is gone and mine is everlasting.  
  
Sometimes I wonder if she got the better end of the deal.  
  
We stand here with our faces turning red.  
  
I hear church bells in the distance.  
  
I shiver.  
  
The cold was taking a toll on me.  
  
We wait for the last member of our team.  
  
We don't wait for long.  
  
I hear footsteps on the fallen leaves behind us.  
  
I turn and see my former boss.  
  
His face is unshaven.  
  
His hair is whiter.  
  
He has no flowers in his hand.  
  
His hands are stuffed into his jacket pockets.  
  
Catherine told me about his ear condition six months ago.  
  
I can tell she wasn't lying, but I didn't doubt her anyway.  
  
I see the aids in his ears.  
  
He retired after everything had happened.  
  
The last time I had seen him was in the hospital.  
  
I heard that he moved to Miami.  
  
I can tell.  
  
His skin is darker.  
  
He walks past us as if we aren't there.  
  
Grissom kneels in front of the stone and places his hand on it.  
  
We watch his lips move with no words come out.  
  
Gil Grissom is praying.  
  
We stare in amazement.  
  
He takes his hand off the stone and reaches into his jacket.  
  
I don't see what he takes out.  
  
He sits there for a minute more, then gets up and walks over next to Catherine.  
  
I look and see what he left.  
  
Amongst the flowers, I see a Monarch Butterfly encased in glass.  
  
The orange on its wings, glows.  
  
I come to this spot everyday.  
  
Out of the past year, it is the brightest thing I have seen around here.  
  
Tamales Bay, California is where Sara lays.  
  
I now live here where she grew up.  
  
I walk the sidewalks she walked.  
  
I drive on the streets she drove on.  
  
I live in the house she lived in.  
  
This is the way I feel close to her.  
  
I look and see my friends.  
  
Her friends, my friends.  
  
We stand there remembering every moment we had with her.  
  
We stand in a line.  
  
Warrick in Las Vegas.  
  
Me in Tamales Bay.  
  
Catherine in Seattle.  
  
Grissom in Miami.  
  
We are separate.  
  
Dealing with her death in our own special ways.  
  
One by one we leave.  
  
Saying our small goodbyes  
  
Going back to our lives.  
  
I am last.  
  
I'll be back tomorrow.  
  
I come everyday.  
  
My payment to her.  
  
My only hope is that she is in a better place.  
  
I take one last look at the butterfly that Grissom left.  
  
It is as beautiful as her.  
  
I can't wait to see her again one day.  
  
Finish *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Ok the story is over. It is a sad one, but I am coming up with a soft Christmas one Nick/OC, not the N/S I promised but that one will come soon after! I need to get the Christmas one done soon, before Christmas is over so I'm going to start soon.  
  
Please r/r!  
  
~Jax 


End file.
